


we built this home

by DawnOfDreams



Category: Emmerdale
Genre: F/F, SO MUCH FLUFF, and also Kids
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-14
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-31 09:27:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13972116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DawnOfDreams/pseuds/DawnOfDreams
Summary: Charity wakes up in the middle of the night to find the kids building a pillow fort in the living room.





	we built this home

They had gone to bed a bit later than usual. Having three kids in the house had been the main reason, and Charity really doesn't know what she expected but she should've seen it coming. After all, it was the first time Noah was staying over at Tug Ghyll, even if the other two kiddos were used to sharing a room when Charity had Moses instead of Ross. But Noah usually left to go sleep at the Woolpack.

It was just something that they'd never really talked about. The other two were very little, and they were practically best friends, so it made sense that Moses now had half of her toys, dinosaurs and all, at Vanessa's place. Poor kid, never could find anything, with his things scattered around three houses. But then again, Ross always bought him too much stuff because he loved spoiling him. And Charity always let him because deep inside, she knew there was a part of her that would never forgive herself for her past choices regarding the child.

She's trying to make it better, though.

She promised she would be the mother him and Noah needed, and she'll be damned if she doesn't make good on that promise.

That's why, when Noah had asked if he could stay at Tug Ghyll the previous day, while he was playing with his brothers, Charity had just smiled and nodded as if it was the most typical thing to happen.

It wasn't, really. Noah had been a bit difficult at the start of her relationship with Vanessa, and although the situation was much better now, and they got along just fine, he had always tried to keep some distance when they tried to do some family bonding. Charity had just resigned herself to accept that he was a teenager, and also probably had not many expectations on the future of this relationship. He was just trying to protect himself.

So when the conversation had turned to him staying over, she'd pretended to not look too surprised. Or too delighted. It had meant more to her than she was willing to admit, though. She felt like maybe, just maybe, she was starting to really make things right.

Everything was perfect until she'd realised that now they not only had two overexcited 2 year olds to get into bed, but also a teenager that loved making things a bit difficult every now and then with his mother.

It had taken 20 minutes of chasing everyone through the house, and then another 15 minutes of separating the two toddlers, who were giggling like crazy and holding on to each other refusing to let go, to even get them all into their rooms. Vanessa had a spare one prepared in case Noah decided one day to stay, and Charity's heart grew two sizes when she found out.

But they had managed. Everyone was asleep and where they should be.

Except.

If that's true, then why is Charity's pillow moving?

She knows Vanessa is laying next to her. She can feel the spots their bodies are touching, and also there's an arm around her waist that Charity dares say feels quite possessive. It also feels amazing, if she's being honest.

But her pillow is still moving. And Vanessa's breathing on her neck indicates the small woman is pretty much death to the world right now, so Charity is confused enough to open her eyes and try to find the reason why she's now awake instead of snoring happily into her girlfriend's ear.

What she comes face to face is Moses, tugging at her pillow with a concentration expression on her face. She realises that the kid probably thinks he can, for some reason, take her pillow without her noticing.

She's about to say something, still a bit dizzy from the sudden (and rude) awakening, when the door to the room opens up a bit more and she hears the voice of her other son. "Moses!" It is whispered in a panic and Charity would laugh at the absurdity of the situation if not for the fact that a toddler is about to make her fall off the bed if he keeps messing around.

Noah walks over to his brother just as she pushes her upper body up with her elbows and comes face to face with them, a raised eyebrow and all.

"What... the hell is going on here?"

Noah stares at her, and then at Moses and then back at her. "Crap."

He grabs Moses and they both run out of the room laughing softly, and Charity sighs before turning to Vanessa, hoping whatever the hell it was what just happened didn't wake her up.

It didn't. Vanessa's hand is now on the space left by Charity when she moved, but she's still sleeping with a calm expression. Charity stares at her for a few seconds, taking it all in.

And she almost forgets that there are kids on this house running lose for some reason at... 1am?

She moves her eyes from the clock on the nightstand to the door. She hears some laughing followed by shushing and she prepares for laying down the law, getting up from the bed and stepping into the hallway. She walks down the stairs, trying to turn her face into a serious expression. God, she is too tired for this.

Downstairs there are... three kids. In the middle of the living room. Under what looks like... a pillow fort.

Well, an attempt at a pillow fort. It's mostly just blankets thrown over the couch.

It's a mess.

And by their faces, the kids are aware, because there's no giggling now coming out of their mouths. They stare at her with different terrified expressions. Johnny's is not even a terrified one. He actually looks like this is turning out to be the best night of his life.

"What," she moves her hand to pinch the bridge of her nose, unsure of how to tackle the situation, "is going on here?"

Johnny is the only one apparently not scared enough of her to answer. "Pillo' fo'!"

Charity sighs again, and honestly she really needs to stop doing that and find some words. Better yet, find some way to get everybody back to bed so she can curl up with Vanessa and finally get some goddamn sleep.

"It's 1am." She directs her words at Noah, aware that the other two kids don't understand the concept of time and probably don't give a rat's arse about what she has to tell them. "Why aren't you all in bed sleeping? And what-" she gestures in the direction of the sofa, "is all this?"

"I'm sorry, mom." Noah looks apologetic at least, and she softens when she sees him take Johnny's hand. "This one woke up and couldn't sleep, so obviously he had to also wake up Moses, and then the two dumbasses came into my room to wake me up. I'm pretty sure they were trying to find your room, but they got lost."

She has to fight to hide the chuckle that rises up her throat at his explanation.

"I tried to get them to sleep again, but it was impossible." He shrugs, looking at the two toddles with an amused look. "So I made a deal with them that if I helped them make a pillow fort, they would go to sleep afterwards. Didn't exactly plan on Moses sneaking into your room to steal more pillows."

She stares at them. Her plan to "lay down the law" gets kind of thrown out the window when she realises this was not some malicious plan to disturb her sleep.

It's just kids being kids.

She looks at Noah and sees what her childhood could've been like. What she never had. What she wants her kids to have more than anything in the world.

And she makes a decision.

"Well, that" she points at the mess of blankets and toys, "is the worst pillow fort I have ever seen in my life."

 

* * *

 

Vanessa wakes up to the sound of the alarm, quickly moving her arm to stop the agonising sound before her head explodes. She covers herself again, relishing in the warmth of the bed and the lazyness of a saturday morning. Her hand searches for the other body in the bed, but it's not until a few seconds later of touching cold sheets that she realises there's no one there.

Oh. Charity must've woken up before her. That is a surprise.

She thinks about her girlfriend bringing her a hot cup of coffee while she stays nice and comfy where she is. It's a beautiful scenario. But she realises about ten minutes later that it's probably not gonna happen, because the house is dead silent and given the cold feeling of the sheets on her hand, Charity has been gone for a while.

It scares her for a moment.

There's that panic. It doesn't last long. But it's still there.

Is this it? Is this how she gets dumped? On a Saturday morning, while asleep in bed, and with the kids in the room next to hers?

But she quickly comes to her senses, even laughing a bit to herself. Chas probably called. Some emergency must have happened.

Because she has that fear. She knows she has it. But she also knows what Charity and her have is real. Probably the most real thing she's ever had, apart from Johnny. And after many emotional conversations with Charity, she also knows this is probably the most important relationship her girlfriend has ever had.

So no. She's not really worried.

It's just that old habits die hard.

She leaves the bed, mourning the warmth, and puts on a sweater while opening the door. The house is still silent, but when she goes into the kids rooms, she finds them empty. The beds are a mess. Moses and Johnny's room is especially a mess.

And now she is worried.

"Charity?" She practically runs down the stairs. Did she take them somewhere? Did something happen? She can feel her heart trying to get out of her chest, and she forces herself to remain calm. As calm as she can, at least.

What she really doesn't expect is to find them all sleeping on the living room floor. Under what seems like... the most over the top, but also rather impressive, mountain of pillows and sheets.

Charity is asleep, mouth open in all her glory, with Moses and Johnny by her side, all covered by Johnny's bed comforter. It has cars and helicopters. And the image brings so much joy to Vanessa that for a good minute she doesn't know what to do with herself. Noah is not far to her right, on top of what seems to be the sofa cushions.

Oh god, they compeltely destroyed the sofa.

She's about to actually become a bit annoyed when she spots the Christmas lights she keeps in one of the kitchen drawers. Johnny loved them, and she always put them up during winter. She wasn't even aware that Charity had noticed. But they are now carefully placed on top of the pillow fort, the different lights barely visible in the daylight.

Moses turns in his sleep, but settles again quickly with a hand around Johnny's arm.

Vanessa has so many questions. So, so many questions.

But it's early.

She can let them sleep for a bit more.

**Author's Note:**

> kudos and comments are very much appreciated :)
> 
> thank you for reading!


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